Little Light
by dotheyreally
Summary: Hermione hated that little blinding flash of white light and wished that it would stop irritating her eyes.  But later on as the night progresses, maybe she will change her mind about looking beyond what blinded her.


**Disclaimer: I do not own HP. :-)**

**A/N: A result of my mind vomiting and spewing ideas everywhere. I hope you guys like it. x  
**

**Little Light**

Hermione Granger's eyes hurt after she was blinded with a white light. She knew it was not her abnormally flickering wand that seemed to malfunction at the command of "Lumos!" She knew it was not coming from the heart-shattering smile that Draco Malfoy had been sporting ever since they had reached the courtyard.

_Dementors?_

No, that was not it. Stupid Hermione, they were all the way in Azkaban.

_Pearls?_

Hallucinations.

Well, whatever that was, it got her heart thudding in her throat. She felt the pulsating beats as she put two fingers near the pulse area. Why was it beating so fast? What was it about this air that suddenly gave her this scorching feeling? Where had the nippy air gone?

Or was it because of _him_?

She looked at him with amorous eyes as he placed a hand on her cheek. She slowly topped his hand with hers as she remembered the day she had agreed to an _affaire de Coeur_ with the Slytherin Prince. She knew she wasn't one to bow down to just anyone, especially not this man who was standing in front of her and looking at her with equally loving eyes. But she knew she couldn't resist him and up until this day, she finally _submitted_ to her heart, to her desires, and most importantly to him.

She suddenly felt her other hand rise, defying gravity's command as Draco Malfoy kissed the back of her palm ever so gently, making the pulsating beats of her heart louder than usual. Who knew silence could be this loud? She was practically deafened by the din of her own body, rebelling against her mind that had persisted to keep her stance and her judgment intact.

But who would be judgmental and knowledgeable when she knew that she would lose the very essence of her being just by standing two meters away from the last person she knew she could ever love? Ah, the boundaries of such an abstract concept. She hated how she had been arguing with herself the whole time and simultaneously being unaware of the man in front of her.

"Say something." She whispered.

He smiled. He knew that it had been a while since he had worn his signature smirk and he had not regretted a day ever since he tossed the old close-minded Malfoy in the nearest receptacle.

He loved the thrill of their dalliance in their seventh year when an innocent study session in the library turned out to be more than just turning pages and absorbing information about mandrakes and hippogriffs. He had thought of himself as selfish, unwavering, and contemptible, always picking fights with everyone that was at least ten inches near his space, breathing the same air as he was. And moreover, that _Mudblood_. The mudblood who was assigned to him by Professor Sprout to be his partner in a Herbology project, the mudblood who nagged him at least thirty times a day to crack open the books and start knowing, and the mudblood who became someone more than just Boy Wonder's best friend. She had changed the way he saw things and he became more open, freer, and he liked the feeling.

"I don't want to say anything," Draco replied just as softly, as their hands parted and were down on their sides again. "I just like to bask in this moment. You know, when your mouth isn't open."

"Are you seriously trying to unclose that subject, Malfoy?" she smirked. "It's been a year since we've graduated and yet we're still like immature children, hiding around and sneaking like we've taken candies from babies."

He held her chin on his finger and his lips were an inch near from hers, his breath like peppermint, and he replied in a gravelly voice, "Isn't it much sexier like this? You know, being risqué? I love breaking rules."

"It's because you're a Slytherin."

"And you know what we Slytherins get when he hunt?"

"What?"

"Young lionesses caught off guard because of their pride."

She chortled. She liked their playful bickers. It was nice to know that despite their sappiness, they still had witty sparks they could set off anytime they wanted. They were both smart and their arguments could be at times potential turn-ons.

"Do you remember when we first met each other?"

"Yes, I do," she nodded. "On that train where you tried to prove yourself that you were a complete snark, trying to mess with Harry and Ron?"

"I was _not_ being a complete snark, Granger," he scowled playfully. "I was just trying to prove that Potter's not all that."

"You don't seriously mean that!" she exclaimed seriously.

"I do."

"Well, you're lucky I love you or you'd get a good socking from me."

Draco's eyes widened.

"What?"

"I love you."

His ears tingled from the utterance he had heard coming out of her mouth. _Love._ He knew he had never said that to anyone, let alone his mother or his father. He also hadn't heard anyone who had said that to him, most especially Pansy Parkinson, one of his flings. She was on the hook for him, seeing she would just hang around him, worshipping his every step, word, command, and practically himself. Now she had moved on to someone else and whoever he was, he felt sorry for the poor bloke.

"What's on your mind now?" she asked. "You're thinking too much again."

"Thinking too much is a normal trait for you and not for me?" he whined.

_Oh, he was simply adorable_, she thought.

Draco felt the seat of his pants and sighed in relief. The box was still there and it got all of his nerves in a tizzy, seeing as he will be able to finally open it in a while. He accidentally flicked it open with his fingers and a white glint appeared from behind his trousers.

"Where is that light coming from?" Hermione asked exasperatedly as her eyes followed the trees.

"I don't know what you're talking about, love." He smiled innocently.

Hermione noticed Draco's shift in movement and mood as the night progressed. He seemed a bit frazzled and nervous seeing as he was checking his watch for what seemed like the nth time.

"What's wrong now, Malfoy?" she asked. "Are your parents going to come out of the bushes or something?"

"Erm…er… no," he smiled nervously. "Why would you think that?"

"You're acting all jumpy."

"I am?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Do you really think so?"

"How many times do I have to say the word, 'yes?'"

"One more time."

"What do you mean?"

Draco grabbed the box from his back pocket and opened it in front of Hermione.

Yes, Hermione's eyes hurt after she was blinded with a white light. It started out as this wee pinch at the back of her eyes then the pain moved to her pupils and then she felt the pain turn liquid as tears began to roll down her cheeks.

"Hermione Jean Granger, will you marry me?"


End file.
